How to Remove the Glove Box on a 2001 Camry
by John Stevens J.D.The 2001 Camry's glove box functions not only as a storage space for small items, but also as an access panel to several electrical components, such as the heater assembly, the passenger's side air bag and the vehicle's cabin filter. To reach any of these components, the glove box must be removed. Fortunately, removing the glove box is easy to do and takes only a few minutes.
Step 1
Turn the ignition key to the "LOCK" position, then disconnect the negative battery cable from its terminal on the car's battery with a wrench. An air bag is located behind the glove box, and may inadvertently deploy as the glove box is being removed. Disconnecting the battery will turn off the air bag's electrical supply, thereby avoiding potential deployment.
Step 2
Allow at least two minutes to pass for the air bag's reserve power supply to fully discharge.
Step 3
Remove the four mounting bolts at the base of the exterior of the glove box with a wrench. There are two mounting bolts at each bottom corner.
Step 4
Open the glove box, then remove the final six mounting bolts which secure the glove box to the dashboard with a wrench.
Step 5
Withdraw the glove box from the dashboard slowly, as a wiring loom used for the air bag is attached to back of the glove box.
Step 6
Disconnect the air bag's wiring harness from the back of the glove box. The wiring harness is routed through three metal clips at the back of the glove box. Pry each clip open with a flathead screwdriver, then lift the wiring harness out of the clips. Do not unplug the wiring harness unless the air bag is to be replaced.
References
- "Haynes Repair Manual: Toyota Camry 1997 thru 2001"; Robert Maddox, Jay Storer, John Haynes; 2001
Things You'll Need
- Wrench
- Flathead screwdriver
Writer Bio
John Stevens has been a writer for various websites since 2008. He holds an Associate of Science in administration of justice from Riverside Community College, a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Juris Doctor from Whittier Law School. Stevens is a lawyer and licensed real-estate broker.